Colin Mather has plunged on New Year’s Day for years, jogging the 1.6 miles to the ocean at the end of Beach Lane with whoever shows up at his Wainscott shop. His plunges have been more low-key than those at East Hampton’s Main Beach, but this year will be different.

Padel, a racket sport new to America, but not to Mexico, South America, and Europe, will be added to the East Hampton Indoor/Outdoor Club’s list of offerings come the spring.

Pat Mansir, who served three terms on the East Hampton Town Board and had a reputation reflecting her “willingness to think for herself,” died on Dec. 10 of complications of heart disease. She was 77.

David Marshall, who had served as the assistant basketball coach at the Ross School under Kelly McKee in his retirement, died of cancer on Dec. 12 in Southampton. He was 69 and had first been diagnosed about 20 years ago.

Andrew Strong, described by his family as “a father who found his greatest contentment raising his three children, a husband married to his best friend and soulmate, a beloved friend, and a lawyer who fought for justice, human rights, and freedom,” died of a heart attack on Dec. 11 in The Hague. Formerly of East Hampton, he was 43.

Grace McTurk of Montauk, “the last of the old guard,” her family said, died in her sleep on Dec. 11 in Viera, Fla. She was 104 and had not been ill.

From The Star’s photo archive, this Christmas card sent by Lion Gardiner (1878-1936) and Ida S. Loomis Gardiner (1881-1973) shows the Gardiner House on Ocean Avenue covered in snow.

Tidings of comfort and joy from The Star of yore to you, dear reader.

It’s The Star’s holiday mailbag.

Sometimes all you want in life is a little something that makes you happy, tiny tweaks to public spaces that would make your life better. Are you listening, State Highway Department or Department of Public Works?

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul did something of huge importance this week when she signed a bill that could lead the way for the state to make reparation payments to the descendants of the state’s enslaved people.

My parents’ generation had a pretty good idea of how to have a good time.

It’s important to “be of good cheer,” as the old folks used to say, not just during the winter holiday weeks but all year long.

Who says it’s passé? Good news and fine times in a YouTube music search.

If Greece and Turkey could reach a rapprochement it would not be too far-fetched to imagine that other ancient antipathies could be similarly dealt with. One can hope.

A nod to the hard-working, industrious folk slogging through the infamous East End traffic to keep the place functioning.

From Montauk to Southampton, a rundown of new property moves.

East Hampton Town has put out a reminder for residents and business owners to document and describe any damage they incurred as a result of this week's storms.

Electing an American president was Rupert Murdoch’s dream turned nightmare, Michael Wolff writes in his gossipy, occasionally obscene account of power and politics, “The Fall.”

Visiting hours for Andrew Strong, formerly of East Hampton, will be held at the Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in Sag Harbor on Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A celebration of his life will take place Friday at 10 a.m. at the St. Luke's Episcopal Church parish hall in East Hampton.